Apparatus for making plastic bags with handles

ABSTRACT

In this apparatus, thermoplastic double layered bag body material which is longitudinally split on one side edge, is fed longitudinally intermittently. A pair of bag handle sheets are fed at right angles to the direction of feed of the bag material into the split between the layers, intermittently. The handle sheets are cut by hot wires to provide a pair of handles having pairs of end portions disposed between the top and bottom layers of the bag material, and portions interconnecting the end portions and offset therefrom and projecting beyond said bag material to form hand holes. The pairs of end portions of the severed handles are heat fused or sealed to the respective bag layers, and the bag material is then severed and sealed transversely to form individual bags. The handle sheets and the cutting wires are so shaped that there is no loss or waste of handle sheet material.

United States Patent n91 Gaifney Feb. 11, 1975 APPARATUS FOR MAKINGPLASTIC BAGS WITH HANDLES [75] lnventor: William Gaflney, Bronx, NY.

[73] Assignee: Charlotte Mintz, New York, NY.

[22] Filed: Nov. 20, 1972 [2]] Appl. No.: 308,293

[52] U.S. Cl 93/8 WA, 93/35 H [51] Int. Cl B3lb 1/86 [58] Field ofSearch 93/8 WA, 8 R, 33 H, 35 H [56] References Cited UNITED STATESPATENTS 3,266,053 8/1966 Rochla 93/8 WA 3,392,636 7/1968 Lindley 93/8 WA3,440,124 4/1969 Schwarzkopf 93/8 WA X 3,511,735 5/1970 Lindley 93/8 WAX Primary Examiner-Roy Lake Assistant Exnminer.lames F. Coan 57 7ABSTRACT In this apparatus, thermoplastic double layered bag bodymaterial which is longitudinally split on one side edge, is fedlongitudinally intermittently. A pair of bag handle sheets are fed atright angles to the direction of feed of the bag material into the splitbetween thelayers, intermittently. The handle sheets are cut by hotwires to provide a pair of handles having pairs of end portions disposedbetween the top and bottom layers of the bag material, and portionsinterconnecting the end portions and offset therefrom and projectingbeyond said bag material to form hand holes. The pairs of end portionsof the severed handles are heat fused or sealed to the respective baglayers, and the bag material is then severed and sealed transversely toform individual bags. The handle sheets and the cutting wires are soshaped that there is no loss or waste of handle sheet material.

3 Claims, 8 Drawing Figures PATENTEB FEB 1 1 I975 SHEET 10? 2 PATENTED 1I975 3,865,018

sum 2 OF. 2

//Za ///a APPARATUS FOR MAKING PLASTIC BAGS WITH HANDLES This inventionrelates to plastic shopping or carrying bags, and to method of andapparatus for making such bags.

An object of this invention is to provide in apparatus of the characterdescribed, means for cutting handles from a pair of sheets ofthermoplastic handle material, of uniform width, by cutting all acrossthe handle sheets to produce pairs of flat handles that have aligned endportions and central offset portions, whereby the end portions may beheat sealed to bag material and the central offset portions extendbeyond the edge of the bag, to provide hand holes, without loss or wasteof any handle material.

Another object of this invention is to provide in apparatus of thecharacter described, handle sheet cutter means of such shape that nopart of the handles cut from said sheets are too thin.

Yet another object of this invention is to provide in apparatus of thecharacter described, cutting means for the handle sheets in the form ofheated wires.

Still another object of this invention is to provide in apparatus of thecharacter described, roller means to advance the handle sheets, rollermeans to advance the bag body material, means to actuate the handlesheets cutters, means to actuate the means for sealing the handles tothe bag body material and means to transversely cut and seal the bagbody material, and means to coordinate the operation all said means toproduce completed bags.

A further object of this invention is to provide highly improvedapparatus for making bags of the character described, which shall berelatively inexpensive to manufacture, which shall be smooth andpositive in operation and yet practical and efficient to a high degreein use.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a highly improvedmethod of making bags which shall be economical and without waste ofhandle or bag making material, which method shall be easy to carry out.

Yet a further object of this invention is to provide an improved bag ofthe character described with flat handles fused to a bag body andproviding hand holes and cut from handle sheets without waste or loss ofhandle sheet material.

Other objects of this invention will in part be obvious and in parthereinafter pointed out.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction,combinations of elements, and arrangement of parts which will beexemplified in the construction hereinafter described and of which thescope of invention will be indicated in the following claims.

Referring now in detail to the drawing;

FIG. 1 is a top plan view illustrating apparatus and method of makingbags, embodying the invention;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the matter shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken on line 3-3 of FIG. '1;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged view of the rollers for advancing the bag bodymaterial and the cutter and sealer for the bag body;

FIG. 5 is a side view of the structure shown in FIG.

FIG. 6 is a diagramatic view of the electrical system for control of thebag body rollers, handle sheets rollers, and handle sheet cutters andhandle sealers;

FIG. 7 is a top view of a piece of handle sheet material illustratingthe cutting lines to form handles; and

FIG. 8 is a diagrammatic view illustrating one of the wire cutters.

Referring now in detail to the drawing, 10 designates apparatus formaking bags 11 from longitudinal thermoplastic bag body sheet material12 and longitudinal sheets 13 of thermoplastic sheet material for makinghandles.

The bag body material 12 comprises similar, symmetrical top wallportions 15 joined at one side by an inwardly pleated gusset 16. At theopposite side of each wall portion 15 is an inwardly folded flap 17.Thus the bag material 12 has a longitudinal split or open side betweenthe layers 15 and flaps 17. The completed bag 11 comprises a body 20composed of the topand bottom walls 15, the gusset l6, sealed parallelside edges 21, and it is open between the flaps 17. Sealed to the flaps17 in the manner hereinafter explained, are a pair of similar,superposed flat handles 23 cut from the handle sheets 13. Each handlehas aligned end portions 24 projecting in opposite directions. Extendingfrom said end portions 24 are converging inclined handle portions 25joined by a transverse straight central portion 26 parallel to endportions 24. The handle 23 is of similar width throughout when measuringin the longitudinal direction of the handle sheets 13. Said sheets 13are of uni form transverse width and are pulled from rolls 30 of saidsheets. The front and rear edges of each handle are identical. Thesheets 13 extend as right angles to the longitudinal direction of thebag body material 12 which comes off a roll 32 of said material. The bagmaterial is pulled to the right in a horizontal plane looking at FIGS. 1and 2 in the manner hereinafter explained. The handle sheets 13 are alsopulled in a horizontal plane toward the bag body material at a levelbetween the flaps 17, in the manner hereinafter explained.

The bag material is pulled to the right by a pair of rollers 33 fixed onshafts 33a. The handle sheets are pulled to the left, looking at FIG. 3by a pair of rollers 34 fixed on shafts 34a.

Between the sheets 13 is a plate 35 of Teflon or like high heatresisting insulating material to which the plastic sheets will notstick. The plate 35 projects into the split or open side of the bagbodymaterial as shown in FIG. 3 of the drawing.

Above the top wall 15 and its flap 17 is a heat seal member 40 having aflat longitudinal bar 41 as long as a handle 23 and controlled by asolenoid coil 42. Below the bottom wall 15 and its flap 17 is a heatseal member 43 having a flat upper bar 44 similar to bar 41, andcontrolled by a solenoid coil 45.

The bars 41 and 44 extend across the bag to the ends of the end portions24 of handles 23. Between the bar 41 and the top wall 15 is a Teflonprotective sheet 50. Between the bar 44 and the bottom wall 15 is aTeflon protective sheet 51. The handle sheets 13 are fed in the mannerhereinafter appearing, until the forward edges 24a of ends 24 of thehandles areat the inner end edges 17a of the flaps l7 and then the feedstops until the next operation.

The cutting of the handle sheets is accomplished by top and bottomheated wires 60 connected in parallel to each other and in series with apower source 61 in a circuit controlled by a manual switch 62. Each wire60 has the shape of the forward or rear edge of the handie 23. One wireis disposed above the upper sheet 13 and one is disposed below the lowersheet 13. Each wire thus has portions 64 conforming to the edges 24a ofend portions 24 of the handle, converging portions 65 conforming to theedges 25a of portions 25 of the handle, and a portion 66 conforming tothe inner edge 26a of central portion 26 of the handle. It will be notedthat the front and rear edges of each handle are cut by the same wire60, and hence the front and rear edges of each handle are exactly alike.

The wires are so located that the ends 64 thereof are substantiallyaligned with the folds 17b of the flaps 17. The wires 60 are sopositioned as to be centralized with the finished bags. The width of thehandle sheets 13 is less than the width of the finished bags as seen inFIG. 1. The portions 65 of the wires are straight and converge outwardlybeyond the bag material and the portions 66 of the wires are parallel toand spaced beyond the folds 17b of the flaps 17 so that when the handlesare sealed to the bags, hand holes 70 are provided bounded by the folds17b, and portions 25, 26 of the handles. The longitudinal distance fromthe rear edges 24a of end portions 24 to the forward edge 26a of portion26 of the handle must be such as to provide enough space to get a handinto the hand hole 70.

The wires 60 are moved toward and away from each other by solenoid coils75, 76 (See FIG. 6).

The solenoid coils 42, 45, 75, 76 are connected in parallel circuit toeach other, and in series circuit with a pair of terminals 77, 78. l Thecontrol of the solenoids 42, 45, 75, 76 and of the operation of theroller 33 and of roller 34 is illustrated in FIG. 6 of the drawing. Asshown in the drawing, a cam shaft 80 rotated by a synchronous motor (notshown) makes one revolution in the time it takes to make one bag.

On said shaft 80 is a cam 81 to control operation of rollers 34 foradvancing the handle sheets 13; a cam 82 to control operation of therollers 33 for advancing the bag body material; and a cam 83 to controlthe operation of the solenoid coils 42, 45, 75, 76 for controlling thesimultaneous operation of the sealers 40, 43 and the cutting wires 60.

Cam 81 has a rise that extends less than 180 in angular extent. Cam 82has a rise which preferably extends about 180, angularly. The leadingends of cams 81, 82 are preferably at the same angular point. The riseof cam 83 begins where the rise in cam 82 ends, and the angular extentof the rise in cam 83 is about 135.

Cam 81 controls a normally open micro-switch in a circuit having leadwires 91, 92. A manual switch 93 may be interposed in wire 91. Themicro-switch 90 may be interposed in wire 92. Wires 91, 92 haveterminals 91a, 92a which may be plugged to terminals 95, 96 connected bywires 95a, 96a to a solenoid 97 controlling a valve in an air cylinder98. A piston (not shown) in the cylinder connects through a piston shaft99 to a rack 100 meshing with a pinion 101 mounted through a one wayclutch (not shown) on one shaft 34a for turning roller 34 when thesolenoid 97 is energized, during the time that the rise in cam 81 closesthe normally open microswitch 90.

Connected to wires 91, 92 are wires 110, 111 leading to terminals a,111a. Said terminals 110a, 111a can be plugged to terminals 112, 113which are connected by wires 112a, 113a to a solenoid 114 which controlsa valve in an air cylinder 115 to move a piston (not shown) therein, tomove a piston shaft 116 fixed to a rack 117 meshing with a pinion 118mounted through a one way clutch (not shown) on a shaft 33a carrying oneof the rollers 33 for advancing the bag body material.

In wire 111 is interposed a micro-switch l11b closed by the rise in cam82. Switch l llb is normally open.

When the switch 99 is closed and the terminals 910, 920 are connected tothe terminals 95, 96 and the terminals 110a, 111a are connected toterminals 112, 113, the racks will move while their respectivemicroswitches are closed, to advance the bag material and the handlesheets. When solenoids 97, 114 are deenergized the racks 100, 117 areretracted but do not rotate shafts 34a, 33a because of the clutches. Theadvance of the bag material and handle sheets may start at the same timebut the bag material can keep advancing after the advance of the handlematerial ceases.

Also connected to said leads 91, 92 are wires 120, 121. In wire 120 isinterposed a normally open microswitch 122 positioned to be closed bythe rise in cam 83. At the ends of wires 120, 121 are terminals 120a,121a which can be plugged to terminals 77, 78. When the rise in cam 82moves away from micro-switch 111b, the rise in cam 83 begins to closemicro-switch 122, to do two operations, to wit, to seal the handles andthe flaps to the bag, and to cut the handles which are fused or attachedto the bag. The actuation of the solenoid coils 42, 45, 75,76 startsonly after the advance of the bag material and the handle sheets stops,and advance of the bag material and of the handle sheets does not startuntil the sealers 40, 43 are retracted and the wire cutters 60 areretracted by deenergization of solenoid coils 42, 45, 75, 76. Thearrangement is such that the solenoid coils 42, 45, 75, 76 actuate thesealers and wire cutters when said solenoids are energized, and retractsaid sealers and wire cutters when said solenoid coils are deenergized.The flaps 17 are sealed to the handle ends 24 of the handles and also tothe bag layers 15.

Teflon sheets 50 and 51 act as shields to prevent the bags from clingingto bars 41, 44.

Means is provided to cut the bag material transversely while the rollers33 for advancing the bag material are stationary. Said rollers 33 arelocated beyond the plate 35. Said rollers 33 are located above and belowsaid bag material and are so spaced that rotation of the rollers willgrip and advance the bag material to the right.

The rollers 34 are located above the upper handle sheet 13 and below thelower handle sheet 13 and are arranged to press said sheets againstopposite sides of plate 35 so that when said rollers 34.rotate, thehandle sheets will be fed to the left, looking at FIG. 3.

Located beyond rollers 32 is a shaft transversely of the bag materialand therebelow. On shaft 140 are a pair of similar cams 141. Shaft 140is rotated one revolution for each revolution of the cam shaft 80, inany suitable well known manner. Mounted in suitable guides, is a bagmaterial cutter 143. Said cutter 143 comprises a pair of vertical sideor throw arms 144 car rying follower 145 at their lower ends riding oncams 141. Side arms 144 carry a transverse knife 146 having a lowercutting edge 147 located above the level of the bag material. The knifeis heated in any suitable manner, so that it can cut and seal the cutlayers of the bag material on both sides of the knife edge.

Below the knife edge is a roller 150, against which the knife cuts. Thecutter is guided as it is moved up and down by the cams 141 insynchronization with the periodic advance of the bag material.

It will be noted that each time the wires 60 cut the handle sheets, theleading edges of the handle sheets have the edges 24a, 25a, 26a, 25a,24a extending across the whole width of said sheets. The sheets are thenfed for a length equal to the width of the end portions 24 of thehandle. Then what will be the rear edges 24a of the end portions 24 arealigned with the folds 17b and the leading edges 26a of the sheets arespaced outwardly of the folds 17b to provide hand holes. Upon the nextcutting, the rear edges 24a, 25a, 26a of the sealed handles are cut,thereby forming the leading edges of the handle sheets. The bag movesbeyond to the right and then the handle sheets are again advanced to theposition in which another cutting by the hot wires 60, cut a new pair ofhandles. Since the cutting is entirely across and the cutting of eachpair of handles provides the hand holes for the next pair of handles, noloss of handle material results and there is no waste of such material.

The cams 141 are so arranged as to cause the cutter 146 to cut onlywhile the bag body material is not being moved by the rollers 33.

It will thus be seen that there is provided an article in which theseveral objects of this invention are achieved, and which is welladapted to meet the conditions of practical use.

As possible embodiments might be made of the above invention, and asvarious changes might be made in the embodiments above set forth, it isto be understood that all matter herein set forth or shown in theaccompanying drawings, is to be interpreted as illustrative only.

I claim:

1. An apparatus to make bags comprising:

a. means to intermittently feed an elongated thermoplastic bag bodysheet having superimposed upper and lower layers unconnected at one sideand joined at the other side, and having superimposed edges at said oneside;

b. means to intermittently feed elongated superimposed upper and lowerimperforate thermoplastic handle sheets of uniform width between theupper and lower layers at said one side;

0. means to intermittently fuse leading ends of said upper and lowerhandle sheets to said upper and lower layers of said bag body sheet,respectively, while said bag body sheet and handle sheets are not beingfed, said bag body sheet and said handle sheets being fed in thedirections of their lengths, said directions of lengths beingperpendicular to one another; and

(1. means to intermittently cut entirely across said handle sheets onidentical parallel lines having aligned, spaced outer portions adjacentsaid superimposed edges of said superimposed layers of said bag bodysheet, converging portions extending from the inner ends of said outerportions outwardly beyond said superimposed edges and a central portioninterconnecting said outer ends of said converging portions and inspaced relation to said superimposed edges of said bag body sheet toprovide by successive spaced cuts handles for said bag and for eachhandle a hand hole defined by said central portion, said convergingportions and said edge of said bag body sheet intermediate theconverging portions, said handle having parallel inner and outer edgesacross the full length of said handle and having a similar widththroughout when measured in a direction from said joined side of saidbag body sheet to said unconnected side so that said handles are formedwithout waste, said means for intermittently feeding said bag body sheetand handle sheets including means to feed said bag body sheet and handlesheets only while said means to intermittently fuse said handle sheetsto said bag body sheet is not being actuated and while said means tointermittently cut said handle sheets is not being actuated, said meansfor intermittently feeding said handle sheets advancing said handlesheets a distance equal to the width of said handles.

2. The combination of claim 1, said cutting means having aligned outerend cutting portions, straight inclined converging portions extendingfrom said aligned portions, and a central portion parallel to saidaligned outer end cutting portions and interconnecting said inclinedcutting portions.

3. The combination of claim 1, said converging portions being straightand inclined at equal angles.

1. An apparatus to make bags comprising: a. means to intermittently feedan elongated thermoplastic bag body sheet having superimposed upper andlower layers unconnected at one side and joined at the other side, andhaving superimposed edges at said one side; b. means to intermittentlyfeed elongated superimposed upper and lower imperforate thermoplastichandle sheets of uniform width between the upper and lower layers atsaid one side; c. means to intermittently fuse leading ends of saidupper and lower handle sheets to said upper and lower layers of said bagbody sheet, respectively, while said bag body sheet and handle sheetsare not being fed, said bag body sheet and said handle sheets being fedin the directions of their lengths, said directions of lengths beingperpendicular to one another; and d. means to intermittently cutentirely across said handle sheets on identical parallel lines havingaligned, spaced outer portions adjacent said superimposed edges of saidsuperimposed layers of said bag body sheet, converging portionsextending from the inner ends of said outer portions outwardly beyondsaid superimposed edges and a central portion interconnecting said outerends of said converging portions and in spaced relation to saidsuperimposed edges of said bag body sheet to provide by successivespaced cuts handles for said bag and for each handle a hand hole definedby said central portion, said converging portions and said edge of saidbag body sheet intermediate the converging portions, said handle havingparallel inner and outer edges across the full length of said handle andhaving a similar width throughout when measured in a direction from saidjoined side of said bag body sheet to said unconnected side so that saidhandles are formed without waste, said means for intermittently feedingsaid bag body sheet and handle sheets including means to feed said bagbody sheet and handle sheets only while said means to intermittentlyfuse said handle sheets to said bag body sheet is not being actuated andwhile said means to intermittently cut said handle sheets is not beingactuated, said means for intermittently feeding said handle sheetsadvancing said handle sheets a distance equal to the width of saidhandles.
 2. The combination of claim 1, said cutting means havingaligned outer end cutting portions, straight inclined convergingportions extending from said aligned portions, and a central portionparallel to said aligned outer end cutting portions and interconnectingsaid inclined cutting portions.
 3. The combination of claim 1, saidconverging portions being straight and inclined at equal angles.